Friday, January 25, 2013

DARPA To Install Laser Turrets On Fighter Jets Coming Year

Use of laser jets to crush the enemies in fight is something you have seen in movies, games or imagination, but what if this is made available in real life? Well, DARPA, the research arm in US military is at present working on two system i.e the High Energy Liquid Laser Area Defense System (HELLADS), and the Aero-Adaptive/ Aero-Optic Beam Control (ABC). HELLADS, as shown in picture above will be a 150-kilowatt system which is ten times smaller and lighter when compared to the present systems and is suitable for use both on the ground and in the air as a air to ground attack role. As far as the jet's laser is concerned, the laser will weigh less such that it will be around five kilos per kilowatt and will fit into a total space of three cubic meters, which will be dangerous enough to crush the enemies. Introducing such a weapon on a fighter jet, will result in a real nightmare.
The other system i.e. ABC is a defensive rather than attacking with a small turret mounted on the fighter aircraft shooting down the incoming missiles. The adaptive optics and beam controls makes it strong especially when a missile is approaching from behind, then the laser will have to be able to fire through the turbulence generated by the aircraft's engines without losing all of its beam energy. Well, this illustrations of the two projects by DARPA itself give us an idea of how the systems will work, consisting of defensive and attacking weapons. Adopting the laser technology will surely be a faster means when compared to the missiles, as laser moves at the speed of light. So, it will be something to watch for. Stay tuned for more updates.